NEW YORK & SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Airtime, the new, live social video network created by internet icons
and entrepreneurs, Sean Parker and Shawn Fanning, was unveiled today at
a special launch event in New York City. Airtime is the most efficient,
easy to use, browser-based video chat service between friends via their
existing Facebook networks. The service allows users to share live
experiences through content, and expand beyond their social graph to
discover new people through similar interests in an environment that is
collaborative, fun and safe. Airtime is now available for users at Airtime.com.
No download is required. Users simply need a Facebook login and a webcam
to use the service.

At this morning’s launch, Jimmy Fallon introduced Parker and Fanning at
Milk Studios in front of an audience of press and other notables.
Celebrities including Jim Carrey, Ed Helms, Alicia Keys, Julia
Louis-Dreyfus, Joel McHale, Olivia Munn and Snoop Dogg helped
demonstrate the features of Airtime.

As two of the Internet’s biggest disruptors and entrepreneurs, Parker
and Fanning have collectively built some of the most influential and
debated companies of the digital age including: Napster, Facebook,
Causes, Spotify, Path, and now, Airtime. Having met online in a chat
room 15 years ago over a shared interest in computer security and
hacking, Parker and Fanning created Airtime to explore what’s possible
when large numbers of people are brought together live, connecting
through common interests and shared content.

“There’s something exciting about bringing spontaneity to the Internet,”
said Parker. “All of your interactions online are constrained by the
people you already know. That wasn’t always the case. If it weren’t for
the internet, Fanning and I would have never become friends. As we move
from a social graph to an interest graph, there are great possibilities
for our world. That’s what we’re trying to tap into with Airtime.”

“We look at Airtime as if it were a smart and engaging host,” said
Fanning. “Airtime is a service that does everything it can to help you
find the people that you should know, and then guide your conversations
further. These are connections that wouldn’t be possible in the real
world. If you look at this from an idealistic standpoint, Airtime is
something only technology can facilitate. And it is finally possible
with the ubiquity of webcams, broadband connections and a highly
developed identity layer. We’ve only scratched the surface with what the
Internet can do today.”

In addition to supporting seamless video chat with friends, Airtime
connects users based on location and shared Facebook interests. Once
connected, you are anonymous until you decide to reveal yourself. You
are always in control. By clicking the “Next” button, users can discover
new and interesting people on demand. The service also enables shared
live experiences. At launch, users will be able to watch YouTube videos
together, with more content sharing options coming soon.